


Edges Worn Away

by onyxshinigami



Series: Iron Bull Appreciation Month 2016 [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 17:43:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6714652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyxshinigami/pseuds/onyxshinigami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes understanding comes well after feeling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Edges Worn Away

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: http://fatalmirage.tumblr.com/post/142130763492/the-iron-bull-appreciation-month-is-coming-up
> 
> Week One: Friendship

“The Iron Bull,” Cole broke the silence as the two men walked along the edge of the river, harvesting blood lotus and spindleweed on their way back to camp, “In one fight, you let someone hit you so they wouldn't hit me.”

“Yes?” The Iron Bull stood up straight, taking a moment to stretch his back and flex his joints. Unlike Cole, who could just bend over to gather some plants, Bull had to kneel down. Things sometimes got a little achy.

“But you hate demons.”

“Listen, Cole. You might be a weird, squirrelly kid, but you're my weird, squirrelly kid.”

“Oh.” Realization. Feelings under the skin. Warm blossom in the heart. “Thank you.”

“Just don't make it weird. No full hugs. Maybe a one-armed slap on the back...at most.”

“Alright.”

 

*** *** ***

 

“Yah ha! Gotcha!” The Iron Bull roared and Blackwall’s ass finally hit the dirt. A cheer went up around the Skyhold courtyard as those gathered celebrated the spirited training match. Several members of the Inquisition’s Inner Circle had set into groups of three; Cole, Bull and the Inquisitor versus Sera, Blackwall, and Dorian. Everyone’s teamwork was on par, strategies were sound, and the sun was shining. Everyone was having fun.

Dorian had given his side the early advantage with that creepy fucking terror spell, and then Sera had thrown in a jar of bees just to fuck with everything else. Blackwall had charged the small field and thrown up that damned ghost clone shield wall thing. You could maybe go over it, but good luck trying to get around it. On their side Cole had vanished, Leaf lowered his head and endured the bees while he drew upon the Fade. Bull had sworn and spit out - were those wasps?! Dammit Sera! 

All in the span of five heartbeats.

Then the air had frozen. The bees dropped dead. The ground under Dorian’s feet glowed a pale blue. He swore in Tevene as he leapt off the ice mine before it could trigger. Sera aimed a shot at the Inquisitor’s feet that had exploded upon impact, sending dirt and debris into the air. With a roar, the Bull charged for Blackwall. The Warden had taunted right back at the Qunari and raised his shield to deflect the incoming swing. Axe and shield married with a thunderous clash. Sera had shrieked as she was frozen in place, Cole appearing behind her and marking her with his paint-edged knife before vanishing.

“Hit! Sera is down!” Cullen called from the sideline, his strong voice carrying over Sera’s venomous swearing. The commander seemed to be enjoying his role as referee. Must have been a nice change from all the damn paperwork an army seemed to generate.

The Bull and Blackwall had met and matched blow for blow near the center of the yard as Leaf and Dorian cast, countered, and dispelled each other’s magics. Ice and lightning had jutted against fire and necromantic energy. Dorian was at the slightest disadvantage sparring as there weren’t any enemy corpses to use against the Inquisitor, but he could handle himself well all the same.

A soft green glow had covered the Iron Bull’s skin. 

Then the blizzard bloomed. 

It blossomed in the center of the yard, a tiny bud that burst open and expanded outward as fast as an avalanche. The sleet and ice cut the field, blinding those in its path. Blackwall had stumbled. The Bull, shielded by the Inquisitor’s expertly timed barrier, pressed the advantage. He heard Dorian shout, heard Cullen cry “Hit! Dorian is down” and knew Cole had struck again.

The Iron Bull grinned.

Three on one didn’t last long. Cole had struck from behind-left-right, away, the Inquisitor had levelled a barrage of ice at the Warden’s chest, leaving him half frozen, and the Bull simply had to finish the job by knocking him down.

It was a match well and happily done.

Blackwall laughed as he pulled air back into his lungs, accepting Bull’s helping hand up. Sera wrapped an arm around the Inquisitor’s neck, pulling his head to her chest as she rubbed the top of his head with rough knuckles and swearing on him. Leaf laughed in her strong grasp and wrapped his arms around her waist, not even trying to escape his punishment, tickling her instead. Bull smiled as the two elves collapsed in a giggling pile onto the ground.

With the sparring over, the people of Skyhold began to break away from the yard, returning to their duties, or heading off with friends. Bull stood in the center of the yard for a moment, watching Blackwall and Sera beeline it to the tavern, Sera practically dragging the Warden in her haste. Dorian and Cullen were having a little conversation over by the stairs that lead up to Skyhold’s main hall. The Inquisitor and Josephine were already entering the main hall, headed to Josephine’s office, no doubt. Leaf had barely escaped Sera’s grasp when Josephine had appeared beside him, clipboard in hand, quill poised and ready. Shame. Bull would have liked sharing a drink.

Cole came to stand beside Bull as everyone continued to drift away.

“Give me your hand, the Iron Bull,” Cole said as he held his right hand palm up.

He thought about it, then extended his right arm, holding his palm up to mimic Cole’s gesture. The Iron Bull stood still, smiling, curious, and amused, as Cole wrapped something around his wrist. It was soft, and the boy’s fingers tickled. When Cole dropped his hands, Bull looked at…

“It’s… a bracelet?”

The band of the bracelet was soft, pale leather. Looked like halla leather. The flowers, dyed leather petals, kind of looked like daisies, but they were shades of pink and the ends were pointed. The centers of the flowers sparkled. Bull lifted his arm up closer to examine it properly.

“Dawnstone?”

“Leaf helped me find some. He’s good at finding things. He showed me how to make it too, when I asked.” Cole shifted his weight from foot to foot, fingers picking and twisting as he spoke. “You can hide it under your glove, if you like. It won’t mind.”

“But, why?” Bull was puzzled. 

Cole tilted his head up so that the brim of his hat was no longer blocking their gaze. His pale blue eyes peeked out from underneath his wispy blonde fringe.

“Because you trusted a demon to watch your back. Because you let a demon watch over you while you slept. Because you stopped seeing a demon, and started seeing me.”

“Oh.” Bull was at a loss for words. It was a simple thing, wasn’t it? Many times during his years in Orlais he had seen children braiding flower chains to wear around their heads and necks. He had witnessed people giving small tokens like this to each other for no reason other than making the other person happy. Gifts weren’t always a bribe, or a bargain. This was… It was a beautiful token, freely given, lovingly crafted. It meant… It meant-

“Thank you.” Cole smiled. He gave Bull an adorable, awkward one armed slap to the bicep. “It’s good to have friends.”

A flash of memory, faces past and present. Par Vollen. Seheron. Orlais. Dead faces. Living ones. Those he failed. Those he saved.

Those that saved him.

“Yeah, kid. It is.” The Iron Bull clapped his braceleted arm around Cole’s shoulders, nearly lifting the kid off his feet. “It really is.”


End file.
